YUFE - Young Universities for the Future of Europe
Apply now for the "YUFE Research Leadership Programme"!
More information about the programme content and application here:
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Why are we involved in YUFE?
Together, we pursue the goal of building an open and inclusive European University! This offers students and staff Europe-wide opportunities to develop in education, research, and careers. More
As one of ten partner universities, we work with the YUFE Alliance for a strong Europe of solidarity and cooperation. In keeping with the University of Bremen's new mission statement, we at YUFE are assuming responsibility at the European level for the necessary social and ecological changes, and for democracy, diversity, and justice. In doing so, we see ourselves within YUFE as a member of a network that strengthens democracy and freedom in academia, as well as structures that promote equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion (EDI). A sustainable future requires transnational cooperation – through our involvement in YUFE, we are making a contribution to this and will face the challenges of our time together with our partners.
![[Translate to English:] Dr. Philipp Baur](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/f/csm_Philipp_Baur7_5c705cb262.jpg)
© Matej Meza | Universit?t Bremen
CONTACT
Dr. Philipp Baur
YUFE Institutional Coordinator
University of Bremen
International Office
SFG - Room 0280
28359 Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-60384
E-Mail: philipp.baurprotect me ?!vw.uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
Project homepage
of the YUFE Alliance:
www.yufe.eu
Who is YUFE for?
© YUFE | Universit?t Bremen
Students
YUFE offers all students a European study experience. The YUFE Student Journey offers the opportunity to attend courses at nine different universities free of charge over four semesters. The scope of the experience is freely selectable. Whether through a semester abroad, individual modules online or on-campus, a summer course, a joint project, volunteer work, or language learning with language courses in Spanish or Finnish, for example, YUFE students receive recognition for these European study elements upon graduation, and their certificate distinguishes them as Europeans.
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© YUFE Alliance
Staff & Researchers
Researchers, teachers, and members of administration and management are offered development opportunities and career paths across national borders. YUFE offers shorter and longer periods of teaching, research, and internships at partner universities, as well as a wide range of continuing education opportunities for academic and non-academic staff. These opportunities not only offer participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in their respective fields, but also provide them with the opportunity to engage with members of the nine other YUFE universities, learn about best practices, and expand their intercultural skills.
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© YUFE Alliance
Citizens & Life Long Learners
At YUFE, we firmly believe that learning takes place throughout our lives. Therefore, our offerings extend beyond the students and staff of our own partner universities to provide learning opportunities for citizens of all ages. These include a program aimed at engaging citizens in lifelong learning in the broadest sense, a series of free lectures and workshops on topics such as inclusion and sustainability, and YUFE Community and Civic Engagement, which aims to make a contribution to society.
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Financial support
The YUFE Alliance offers various exchange opportunities for students and staff at the University of Bremen. The following funding options are available::
- Students: Students can apply for regular Erasmus+ funds that are available to support stays at YUFE partner universities as part of the Student Journey. More
- Staff & Researchers: To support workshops, staff weeks, continuing education and teaching collaborations, employees (administrative and academic) can apply for funding of Erasmus Staff Mobility und Erasmus lecturer mobility.
- Departments: The State of Bremen provides funding for collaborations with YUFE partner universities up to a maximum of EUR 5,000. This funding is announced annually at the beginning of June. More Information for Tender 2025 (PDF).
- Teaching collaborations: Aus Mitteln des Erasmus+ Programm stehen Mittel zur Entwicklung und Organisation von ?Blended Intensive Programmes“ (BIP) zur Verfügung. Mehr Informationen
If you have any questions about Erasmus+, please contact Barbara Hasenmüller, Erasmus University Coordinator. For questions about other funding opportunities, please contact Philipp Baur, YUFE Institutional Coordinator. Contact International Office
Contacts
![[Translate to English:] Dr. Philipp Baur](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/f/csm_Philipp_Baur7_959093c8bd.jpg)
![[Translate to English:] Jana Sievers](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/9/csm_Jana_Sievers_1_351dd680e8.jpg "[Translate to English:] ? Matej Meza")
© Matej Meza | Universit?t Bremen
Dr. Luisa Cristini
Responsible, Interdisciplinary & Inclusive Research
Tel.: +49 421 218-60304
E-Mail | SFG 3160
© Matej Meza | Universit?t Bremen
Kübra Yesilova, Rena Gertje, Jaro Pleus
YUFE Student Forum
Students are key members of the Alliance and provide important input on all study issues. They are represented with voting rights in all committees and working groups of the YUFE network, including at the management level. There is a student parliament, the so-called Student Forum, to which three students from each partner university are delegated.
Tel.: +49 421 218-60384
E-Mail | SFG 0280
Policies
Below you will find a list of policies and frameworks:
The YUFE Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Strategy aims at inspiring each of its institutions to put ED&I at the heart of their work, in a way that is tailored to their institution and local context:
The YUFE Language Policy aims to embed multilingualism into YUFE's structure and culture, making language learning and linguistic diversity integral to its vision of a truly European and globally connected university:
The Staff Recruitment policy aims to create inclusive and transparent recruitment practices aligned with European standards (OTM-R), making the alliance attractive to diverse talent across all career paths and levels. Staff will be selected based on merit and empowered to contribute to YUFE’s vision of a young, student-centred, and inclusive university. The alliance is committed to implementing the European Charter and Code and maintaining its HR Excellence in Research Award status:
Create Common Standards: Develop shared staff development frameworks aligned with EU priorities like HRS4R and the HR Excellence in Research Award. Embed YUFE Values into Practice: Translate common YUFE values into concrete policies and actions within each university, adapted to local contexts. Promote Best Practice Exchange: Encourage ongoing sharing of best practices and mutual learning to strengthen collaboration and innovation in staff development:
The YUFE Competence Framework for Researchers supports and accompanies the Staff Development Policy. The Framework constitutes another building block towards an inclusive, innovative and responsible Alliance.
The DIOSI Model for Doctoral Learning aims to envision a joint model for doctoral learning at the DIOSI institutional partners, by building on existing policy and academic literature, and a SWOT-analysis of partners’ doctoral education systems and their future-facing vision for the process:
The following downloads are only available in the internal area for members of the University of Bremen. Please log in with your access data and then refresh the YUFE homepage to view the content.
The Multilateral mobility scheme aims to facilitate seamless mobility flows among all YUFE partner universities and their local communities, supporting personalised learning paths, student-centered education, and multi-institutional mobility:
- YUFE-Multilateral-Mobility-Scheme
The YUFE Quality Assurance Framework describes the governance system, basic principles and quality assessment dimensions of the YUFE Quality Assurance System. It contains relevant quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators, that can be used for a regular YUFE benchmarking exercise. The aim of the exercise is continuous improvement of quality of activities and outputs:
- YUFE-Quality-Assurance-Framework
Community Engagement (CE) is a cross-cutting priority within YUFE and therefore has its greatest impact when embedded in all Alliance activities. It is a powerful driver of change that ultimately transforms YUFE universities into committed institutions committed to addressing social and democratic challenges:
- YUFE Community Engagement Manifesto
Get involved
YUFE represents a systematic collaboration between ten European universities that develop new offerings, formats, and programs for all university status groups. YUFE also features a number of grassroots initiatives from various faculties, administration, and students. Staff and students of the University of Bremen can get involved in the following initiatives.
- Law Initiative: Network of law faculties in YUFE, whose members exchange ideas on current research issues at an annual conference and organize public events such as the YUFE Academy (2025: Online-Panel ?Can we trust the courts?“) organisieren.
Contact: Prof. Lars Viellechner, Department 6
- BioYUFE: A network of biology faculties that, in addition to an annual workshop, organizes public events such as a webinar series, mutually open courses (electives) or joint summer schools such as the BioYUFE BIP in August 2025 at the University of Bremen. Further information on BioYUFE at the University of Bremen can be found in the following article: ?Making Life Sciences European“
Contact: Dr. Ute Meyer and Prof. Marko Rohlfs, Department 2
- LingYUFE: Network of Linguistics and Literature Studies in YUFE; the initiative was founded in 2024 and currently meets once a year, approximately in September 2025 in Tórun.
Contact: Prof. Marcus Callies, Department 10
- Library Group: Network of University Libraries in YUFE
Contact: Claudia Bodem, Bremen State and University Library
- YUFE Expert Network on Higher Education Didactics: Networking of the respective experts in higher education didactics of the partner universities, founded in 2025 for the exchange of experience and continuing education formats.
Contact: Jennifer Robbert, Unit 12 and Carola Schirmer, Unit 13
- Student Forum: Student participation is a key concern at YUFE. The YUFE Student Forum consists of three students from each partner university, who elect the Student Forum Board President from among their number to represent the student voice in the YUFE Strategic Council. The Student Forum meets once or twice a year for its own workshops.
Contact: The three representatives of the University of Bremen (Kübra Yesilova, Rena Gertje, Jaro Pleus) can be reached at: Mail
(Hi)stories
A brief history of YUFE
The idea of "European universities" is closely linked to the history of European integration since the 1950s. The idea of a supranational "European University" was already mentioned in the Treaty of Rome, the founding documents of today's European Union, signed in March 1957. However, the proposal did not find broad support among the universities of the then member states and was never implemented. Instead, in the following decades, the European Commission relied on incentive mechanisms and funding programs to promote research and exchange at the European level, starting with the first Framework Programme for Research in 1984 and the Erasmus programme in 1987. (See the book by Lars Lehmann: ?Das Europa der Universit?ten“)
Following the Brexit vote and in the face of a crisis in the European Union, French President Emmanuel Macron revived the idea of "European Universities" in September 2017. In a speech at the iconic Sorbonne University in Paris, one of the birthplaces of the European university, he presented his vision of closely cooperating networks of "European Universities" with the goal of further advancing European integration in the context of the "European Higher Education Area." YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) is part of the first generation of European University Networks (EUNs), selected in 2019 and funded by the European Commission and the Erasmus+ program. More than 60 alliances are now supported by the EU.
After a three-year pilot phase (2019-2022), YUFE is now entering its four-year expansion phase (2023-2026). To enable long-term, strategic cooperation, YUFE founded an association under Belgian law (AISBL) in 2024 as a sponsoring and coordinating organization, linked to a Central Office in Brussels. The University of Bremen's participation in YUFE has been financially supported from the outset by a supporting program of the DAAD and the State of Bremen. Since 2024, Prof. Daniel Mouchard (President of the Sorbonne Nouvelle) and Prof. Jutta Günther (Rector of the University of Bremen) have held the presidency of YUFE for two years. A follow-up application for EU funding is currently being developed for 2027 and 2028.
News archive
The following articles from the University of Bremen’s online magazine “up2date” provide a thematic overview and review of important YUFE developments and milestones:
2025
2024
- Strengthening European Cohesion: New YUFE Leadership
- From an Online Seminar to a Collaborative European Event
- Come as you are - The International Office
- A European Approach to Life Sciences
- Experience Europe as a Student
- Going Abroad with ERASMUS – University Staff Edition
2023
2022
2021
- University and Society
- YUFE: Creating a European University
- “Science Will Become Far More Important for Bremen”
- Getting to Know Other European Universities via YUFE
- The European
2020
- “We Will Come Out of this Crisis Much Stronger”
- “Building Bridges with YUFE in Times of Brexit”
- “We Want to Invite Everyone to Join in”
- “We Need to Be Prepared for the Future”
- And then? I listened to the voice inside
- Study the European Way in Bremen
